The Opelousas courier., 1887-04-02

Better rInaHh q Boom.

There are no coal and iron mines OF much
consequence i'll Sumter county, we DeileVe,
but they will never be missed il the people OF
the county shall profit by the important les
son that has beeu taught them by their first
experience of the benefits to be obtained from
bringing the cotton mills TO the cotton helds:
Since January !, the factory at the town OF
Sumter has made SID handsome returns Tor the
money invested in it that 4" a dividend OF
per cent has been declared, ten per cent has
been passed over to the surplus, 900 has
been appropriated for the purchase OF addl-
tioual machinery, and the weli-earned salary
of the president has been increased by one
half" This is decidedly favorable showing
for new mill, run solely by steam power
and we doubt that as good record can be
presented by any other cotton factory IN the
country There is ample room for more mills
of the same kind in Sumter, and IN all South
Calnlina and the strongest possible argument
that can be made for their estabsbment Is
that which is contained in the figures we nave
given =,
Every pound of cotton grown in the South
should be converted iuto cloth before ii passes
its borders, and there is nothing to pfeTebt
the accomplishment of this most desirable
eud, except the absence OF q sufficient number
of mills to handle the entire crop. 1t VIII not
he many years before they are built. One
successful venture like that ut Sumter will
encourage other towns aud villages TO try tte
same experiment, aud sure, if slow, progress
| is being made every year
| The " hum of the whirling spindles is bet
| ter than Il '' boom of any kind, aud is al
| ready a familiar sound iu many places where
il was never heard and was never expected
| to be heard until few years or months ago
| 1t is the maSic of progress, aud South Saro
| linus place is ever in the front rank BRING
| the mills to the Observation-Disclosures 1>e"e
| aud Courier. ,
| We reproduce the above for the interest o1
/ those who cannot see why or how the farming
classes are interested iu the protection OF
home industries aud tue encouragement o1
manufactures. Suppose and the supposltlol
is a reasonable one. that all tue cotton pro
| ducrl in Louisiana was manufactured into
useful commodities before it lett her bord era
would nnl such ii aia:e OF things benehi iht
farmer? Ii We bad all those factories, mere
/ which piotertion alone can bGlus, would mo-
every interest IL the State aho asrlcH''n II =
,nnst IF all flourish I" like green bay tit 8
On tue other hand we know too we'll :ioV
wi;,I;..ed in.! disisartepin. is the busitest
eu..ditiun OF d country where there ie LIZ
dila!sitv uf industries aud tho over proc; NC
.iuiia nf the oyertroTded farms hnd theif |as
i,in ii starvation market. ihs tree-trade'
ea y forsa3tlI, We nlnso lind a market o5 Ell
terinz il.to competition abroad with couut Eie
,.iny,. fa,i!itius Ter manufacturing are al
real, perfected a"! whose advantages
eau nev., hope 10 enjoy! " ihese % hfaI
words "--i.si,cuiaiiy SheE our ffee.tfau
fr.a,,!. wn,li,l Lavr liz cutter the lists OF ior
.si,,n commerce. iurde.ed with an appalling
weight # direct t. NItion
Would ii t.o1 br more discreet 1oI tue s".it
. 10 Ii. riee, lis manHtacturcs before eDir'ih
3 tl,e ,,o;uni. :..,al combat Ut the world ii "
: can establish t;trtnri,s III heaven pame !e
ne ,,.t p; work There are II cotton factrrie
in Sortl, Caroua There is but one in ol''fi
j, tinn in Louisiana. How do you like the col
tr,,xt' luan this hubbuE' Of politics. III Il
|, tl;s personal cIt.mor 10" promotion, is u nt
; ssiiI sus ;ha, sbe noblest patriots aud tn
- hest ,itizrns ara those who will help to bull
! f,r,,ri,s for he manufacture Of our raw pst
y sIncts, develop tic vas; resources of Lopisal
). aud revive her pristine prosperity by dive
sifica,iun Of her Industries ?-Ouaelita lei
graph.